Guitarist and composer, Doug McDonald leads an All-Star Sextet to play a concert benefiting The American Jazz Institute, a 501 C-3 non-profit corp., in Palm Desert, Ca..
This talented group includes Doug McDonald on guitar, Kim Richmond on saxophones, Ron Stout on trumpet, Keith Droste on piano, Henry Franklin on bass, and Tim Pleasant on drums. The group will play jazz and blues, familiar favorites and original compositions.
Known as a player’s player, Guitarist Doug McDonald always plays with warmth, joy, and fresh, spot on performances time after time. Originally from Philadelphia, Doug grew up in Hawaii, where he began playing the guitar at the age of 13. Doug first played professionally there with Trummy Young, Gabe Baltazar and Del Courtney. Doug moved to Las Vegas and played with Joe Williams, Carl Fontana, Jack Montrose and Carson Smith. On to L. A., Doug worked with the bands of Bill Holman, Ray Anthony, and John Clayton. Doug also performed and recorded with Jake Hanna, Rosemary Clooney, Jack Sheldon, Bob Cooper, Ross Tompkins, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, Ray Charles, Stan Getz, Sarah Vaughn and Hank Jones. McDonald plays in many formats and in the guitar tradition of guitarists Herb Ellis, Barney Kessel, Joe Pass, and Charlie Byrd. Doug McDonald plays guitar with charisma, rhythm and well thought phrasing, that is strong and light, pleasant and unhurried, with a relaxed, country-tinged, post-bop flavor. Doug’s sound is beautiful, clear as a bell, with sure footed swing.
Saxophonist, composer, educator, conductor, orchestrator, and 2-time Grammy nominated musician, Kim Richmond, has played professionally for over 60 years. Kim studied music at the University of Illinois, and played in the U.S. Air Force Band(Airmen of Note) for 5 years. Kim moved to L.A. and played with over 20 bands like Stan Kenton, Clare Fischer, Louie Bellson, Lalo Schifrin, Bob Florence, Les Brown, Bill Holman, Vince Golia, Johnny Mandel, Chris Walden, Clay Jenkins, Frank Sinatra Jr., Smokey Robinson, Eric Dolphy, Phil Norman, Full Faith and Credit, Dave Pell, and Tom Lyles. Kim has arranged for Lalo Schifrin, Buddy Rich, Ernie Watts, and others, and established The Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra, performing many original compositions. Kim has worked extensively as a session musician, arranger, director, and conductor for jazz studies and popular musicians. Richmond has made 10 recordings as a leader, and taught at U.S.C., Cal Arts, and annually at summer music camps. Kim Richmond is president of The American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers in L.A..
Trumpeter Ron Stout, was born into a 3 generation musical family, and has played professionally for nearly 50 years. Ron studied music at both Orange Coast and Golden West Colleges, and has won best soloist at numerous state jazz festivals. Ron has taught jazz theory and improvisation privately and as a clinician currently teaches jazz trumpet at Cal State University, Long Beach. Stout toured with the Woody Herman Orchestra for 7 years, has played and made numerous recordings in L.A. for many years, and occasionally in Europe. Ron has worked with over 50 major artists and groups, and currently leads a quintet with saxophonist Jerry Pinter. Stout has played and recorded with the big bands of Les Brown, Frank Capp, Clayton/Hamilton, Roger Neumann, Bill Watrous, Refuge West, Glen Garrett, Maria Schneider, Fedchcock’s N.Y., Bill Holman, Buddy Childers, Jack Sheldon, Bob Florence, T. Garling, Vic Lewis, Barbara Morrison, Ben Clatsworthy, Phil Woods, and others. Ron Stout worked with Horace Silver for 3 years, and has played with Karl Denson, Pepper Adams, Supersax, Les Czimber, Poncho Sanchea, Matt Zebley, and David Berger, and others.
Talented pianist, Keith Droste, plays in the style of Oscar Peterson,and has recorded with a small group and big band, and has performed around Southern California since the 1970’s.
Bassist Henry Franklin, affectionately known as “The Skipper”, first recorded on Hugh Masakela’s #1 hit single, “Grazin in the Grass”, and played with Hugh Masakela at the Monterey International Pop Festival. Franklin has played and recorded with Gene Harris and the Three Sounds, Hampton Hawes, Freddie Hubbard, Bobbi Humphrey, Willie Bobo, Archie Shepp, O.C. Smith, Count Basie, Stevie Wonder, Al Jarreau, David Gonzalez, Julian Priester, Freddie Redd, Woody Shaw, and written for A Tribe Called Quest. Henry was encouraged by his father, Sam Franklin, who was a jazz trumpeter and band leader. Henry studied with bassists Al McKibbon and George Morrow, and was influenced by bassists Paul Chambers and Doug Watkins. While attending Manual Arts High School in L.A., Henry worked professionally with Roy Ayers Latin Jazz Quintet, Harold Land and Hampton Hawes. Franklin toured Europe with Hampton Hawes and recorded 5 albums with him, and in L.A., played with jazz artists Ornette Coleman, Don Cherry, Billy Higgins, and Scott LaFaro. Henry recorded on Stevie Wonder’s Gold Record, “Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants”. Franklin recorded 2 albums with jazz artists John Carter and Bobby Bradford, and recorded on 5 albums with Pharaoh Sanders, Joe Williams, Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Fortune, and Milt Jackson. Henry Franklin has made 15 recordings a leader, and appeared on over 100 recordings in his career.
Drummer Tim Pleasant always complements any group with his sensitive, rhythmic and timely playing. Tim has been active on the jazz scene since the 1980’s, and has recorded with numerous jazz artists like David Sills, Frank Lowe, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Chuck Manning, Putter Smith, and others.
